Corbyn suffered a major rebellion after almost 50 of his MPs
defied a three-line-whip to back the Brexit bill
with dozens more defying the whip on a
motion calling for debate on the bill to be extended.

Three of those who defied the whip were in charge of ensuring MPs
voted in favour of it. Jeff Smith, Thangam Debbonaire and Vicky
Foxcroft all voted against triggering Article 50. Shadow Minister
Catherine West also voted against but declared that she would not
resign.

Former shadow equalities minister Tulip Siddiq, who
resigned in advance of the vote, told the Today programme: "If
you defy the three-line whip, you don't get to keep your
position. I expect that will happen."

Reports that shadow home secretary Diane Abbott had
abstained were denied by Labour sources who said that she had
fallen ill.

However, it remains unclear what will happen to those
frontbenchers who defied the whip.

Speaking on the Today programme, shadow chancellor John McDonnell
said the decision may not be taken for weeks.

"The parliamentary convention will apply which is that if you are
in cabinet or shadow cabinet you will stand down. For other
positions that will be for the chief whip to report and that will
be in due course," he said.

"The normal process is the the chief whip will then report after
the legislation is through. It will be after the
parliamentary process in the commons."

A spokesperson for Corbyn confirmed that while shadow
cabinet members who defy the whip would have to resign,
frontbenchers who are not in the shadow cabinet may be able to
stay.

"Jeremy said at the weekend that nobody who votes against the
whip can stay in the shadow cabinet and apart from that anything
else will be dealt with in due course," they said.

When pushed on whether that meant frontbenchers may be able to
stay in their posts, they replied: "What Jeremy's said
publicly relates to the Shadow Cabinet members."

They said that decisions on disciplining frontbenchers who had
defied the whip would be decided "later".

In a statement which left the door open for the possible return
of those who have resigned from his frontbench, Corbyn
said that the two MPs remained "great assets" for the party.

"I would like to thank Dawn and Rachael for their work in the
shadow cabinet," he said.

"They are great assets to the Labour party and to our
movement.

"MPs have a duty to represent their constituents as well as their
party, and I understand the difficulties that MPs for
constituencies which voted Remain have in relation to the
European Union withdrawal Bill.

"However, it is right that the Labour Party respects the outcome
of the referendum on leaving the European Union. We have said all
along that Labour will not frustrate the triggering of Article 50
and to that end we are asking all MPs to vote for the Bill at its
second reading tonight."

Butler and Maskell are the latest MPs to resign from Labour's
frontbench following the departure of Tulip Siddiq and Jo
Stevens. Several other frontbenchers, including two party whips,
have also declared that they will vote against the Brexit
bill.